Sentencing for sexual offences: Items #2, #3 and #4

The factsPeter Shotton was a 55 year old primary school teacher who sexually abused children in his care. he was convicted of offences in relation to three allegations by boys that he had committed various indecent assaults, including trying to force one boy to fellate him.Conviction and sentence

Shotton pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was convicted of sexual assault on a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and indecency. He was acquitted on a further count of indecency with a child and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on six further counts of the same offence.

The FactsLinda Jones was a 34-year old with two children whose husband had recently left her. She had a “consensual” sexual relationship with a boy of 14. They had sex 3 times, and she became pregnant, later losing the baby.Conviction and sentence

Jones pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual touching and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment: “the least sentence that the judge could impose.”

(Edgecombe appears to have escaped having his picture on the Internet. In his place, I give you Haverfordwest Castle, for this particular rapist is a son of Haverford West.)

The facts:Liam Edgecombe was a 20-yr-old man convicted of raping a girl aged 10. Sex was “consensual” and indeed apparently initiated by the girl. She was a person who was in care and had run away.Edgecombe had apparently asked the girl her age, and she had replied “Does it matter?” Despite this rather obvious clue, Edgecombe claimed to believe that she was in fact at least 16. The judge accepted this, and agreed that the belief was reasonable. The rape conviction was based on the legal incapacity of a 10-year-old girl to consent rather than any actual lack of consent.

Conviction and sentence

Edgecombe pleaded guilty to rape and received an 18-month conditional discharge.